The Cost of Cool

Teenagers discuss what it takes to be "cool", the pressures of consumerism, and the impact on the environment.

This programmme features teenagers discussing what it takes to be "cool", the pressures of consumerism, and the environmental price we pay to have the latest, "coolest" stuff. USA.

It begins with an examination of the growth of the world's population and the impact of our consumption habits on the earth's resources., and looks at everyday items from t-shirts to sneakers and tracks the effect of their manufacture on the world's resources.

"If every person alive today lived like we do," says host Alexandra Paul, "we would need three Earths to provide the resources."

Teenagers grapple with their learned buying patterns, and question whether they actually need much of the stuff that they feel they must acquire to be happy and live well.

"Recommended. This video does in fact make an impact on teenagers, and may be useful for starting class discussions in such areas as Environmental Studies. It may also be used as a starting point to make students evaluate how and why they use their purchasing powers."

- School Library Journal"The Cost of Cool is a call for teenagers (and all Americans) to STOP and look more deeply at the consumer feeding frenzy that grips us all, even the most environmentally conscious. Its message is clear and timely... what each person does, or does not do, determines the future health of this planet." - Erik Mollenhauer, Supervisor, EIRC Science and Social Studies Programs